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Translational biology, medicine, and health student pursues science close to home with new grant , articleMason Wheeler, a doctoral candidate in the Pfleger Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, earned a prestigious Ruth Kirschstein Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Date: Oct 31, 2024 -
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Virginia Tech cardiovascular scientist identifies potential new treatment for failing hearts , articleIn a new study in mice, Junco Warren, assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, offers findings that show a key protein positively impacted both muscle weakness and cellular energy production in the heart, pointing to a potential therapy for systolic heart failure.
Date: Oct 28, 2024 -
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Groundbreaking Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program marks decade of transdisciplinary education , articleThe program, headquartered on the Health Sciences and Technology campus in Roanoke, celebrated its first 10 years recently by inviting back alumni now serving in academia, industry and policy-making for a symposium.
Date: Oct 18, 2024 -
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Cancer researcher wants to make treatment better, more accessible , articleDaeYong Lee, assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, aims to use biomaterials to improve cancer immunotherapy and reduce disparities in treatment outcomes.
Date: Sep 20, 2024 -
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The virus that causes COVID-19 is widespread in wildlife, Virginia Tech scientists find , articleSix of 23 common wildlife species showed signs of SARS-CoV-2 infections in an examination of animals in Virginia, as revealed by tracking the virus’s genetic code.
Date: Jul 29, 2024 -
Video ItemThe virus that causes COVID-19 is widespread in wildlife, Virginia Tech scientists find , video
An animated simulation of how SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, adapts and mutates to survive in a new host, such as common wildlife.
Date: Jul 16, 2024 -
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Virginia Tech scientist awarded grant to study a debilitating neurological disorder , articleMeike van der Heijden, assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, will use the award from the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation to study electrical signals in the brain connected to a movement disorder.
Date: Jun 20, 2024 -
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NIH award funds Virginia Tech scientist’s study of link between diet, diabetes, and heart disease , articleJessica Pfleger, assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, is exploring the role of a certain protein in heart cells becoming insulin resistant, doubling the risk of heart disease and death in Type 2 diabetes.
Date: May 16, 2024 -
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Sen. Mark Warner convenes biotech leaders in Roanoke and New River valleys , articleKey university and industry players gathered at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC to discuss research, economic development, and a vision for Virginia’s proposed research triangle.
Date: Mar 28, 2024 -
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A challenge of rare disease: Roanoke woman went undiagnosed for nearly seven decades , articleSusan Wallace, who thrived in the face of many struggles, was in her late 60s when she was diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome. Then her brother learned research into the rare genetic disorder was taking place within walking distance of his home.
Date: Feb 26, 2024 -
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Self-described ‘mitochondria nerd’ explores exercise as medicine with new research award , articleRyan Montalvo is an inaugural recipient of a Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Postdoctoral Excellence Award. He works in the lab of Zhen Yan, a leader in the field of exercise medicine research.
Date: Feb 19, 2024 -
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Data visualization aids Virginia Tech cancer researcher’s quest for better brain tumor treatment , articleJennifer Munson, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, shared her data on fluid flow in brain tumors with Virginia Tech’s Visionarium, which created 3D visualizations that allow new insights by Munson and her team.
Date: Feb 09, 2024 -
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Virginia Tech scientist shows focused ultrasound can reach deep into the brain to relieve pain , articleA study by Wynn Legon, assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, found that narrowly focused soundwaves aimed at an area of the brain called the insula reduced both the perception of pain and the body’s reaction to it.
Date: Feb 05, 2024 -
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National Institutes of Health award propels translational biology, medicine, and health student on path to discovery , articleMeghan Sedovy, a doctoral candidate and graduate research assistant in the Johnstone Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, was awarded a Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award to further her study of wound healing in arteries after heart surgery.
Date: Jan 23, 2024 -
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC scientist identifies a connection in the brain between stress and emotional eating , articleIn a study published in Nature Communications, Assistant Professor Sora Shin describes the role of a molecule in the brain that may be responsible for triggering overconsumption of comfort foods after a threatening event.
Date: Nov 29, 2023 -
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Focused ultrasound veteran ready to make waves at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , articleJason Raymond has worked with focused ultrasound since the technology was just being developed. Now he’s joined Virginia Tech to help boost its already recognized work in the field.
Date: Oct 16, 2023 -
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Henrietta Lacks statues unveiled where her legacy thrives , articleMirroring this week’s statue dedication ceremony at Lacks Plaza in Roanoke, small-scale statues of the woman whose ‘immortal’ cells changed the world of medical research were dedicated at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, and Carilion Clinic.
Date: Oct 05, 2023 -
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‘The real deal’: Students thrive and grow in summer hands-on research experiences , articleThis was the seventh summer of programs aimed at engaging and training the next generation of scientists. This year, 34 students from colleges in Virginia, North Carolina, and as far away as California, and from five area high schools, participated in summer undergraduate research fellowship programs at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.
Date: Sep 20, 2023 -
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Mill Mountain Garden Club explores Health Sciences and Technology campus green roof, other conservation measures , articleThe club is keenly interested in environmental conservation, and members wanted to see how the newest building on Virginia Tech’s Health Sciences and Technology campus in Roanoke earned a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Date: Sep 06, 2023 -
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‘My younger self could never have dreamed of this’ , articleZach Hutelin, a doctoral candidate in Virginia Tech's Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program, was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to pursue a new line of research into the health impact of ultra-processed foods.
Date: Aug 02, 2023 -
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Virginia Tech benefactor, fitness enthusiast creates health science fellowship at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , articleRay Gaskins ’64, an accomplished marathon runner, is 81 and still hits the gym three to four hours a day, seven days a week and is deeply interested in the connection between exercise and human health.
Date: Jun 27, 2023 -
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Common challenge, different strategies: Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance gathers broad mix of researchers and clinicians , articleThe second annual Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance retreat, hosted this year on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus, brought together scientists and physicians on the leading edge of developing innovative therapy types, fresh biological targets, and new technologies to take on cancer.
Date: Jun 21, 2023 -
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Joining forces: Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance scientists to share ideas, innovations , articleFor its second annual retreat, the Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance is broadening its reach and opportunities for collaboration and innovation. The 2023 event will take place May 24 and May 25 in Washington, D.C., at the Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus.
Date: May 23, 2023 -
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Virginia Tech scientist identifies narrow opportunity to address a disease connected with autism, schizophrenia , articleA National Institutes of Health grant will allow a team led by Anthony-Samuel LaMantia, a professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, to further his 20-year deep dive into DiGeorge syndrome, a genetic disorder that is usually diagnosed too late for treatment.
Date: Mar 31, 2023 -
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Global biobank pioneer to describe the power and potential of big data to inform threats to human health , articleZhengming Chen, a pioneer of global repositories of biological samples and data, will discuss the rise and importance of biobanks in his talk, “Unleashing the Power of Big Biobanks in the East and West for Precision Medicine,” on March 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.
Date: Mar 10, 2023 -
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‘The right place’: Sisters with rare disorder find help , articleSisters with a very rare genetic mutation that affects brain development are benefitting from a form of intensive therapy being studied at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Neuromotor Research Clinic.
Date: Feb 03, 2023 -
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientist to chair premier cancer conference , articleJennifer Munson, a biomedical engineer and cancer researcher, was elected by her peers to co-chair the Physical Science of Cancer Gordon Research Conference in Galveston, Texas, Feb. 5 to 10
Date: Feb 03, 2023 -
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Three translational biology, medicine, and health graduate students awarded American Heart Association fellowships , articleThe awards are intended to enhance the research and clinical training of promising students seeking careers as scientists, physician-scientists, or clinician scientists interested in improving global cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and brain health.
Date: Jan 11, 2023 -
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Virginia Tech scientist uncovers possible neural link between early life trauma and binge-eating disorder , articleResearch led by principal investigator Sora Shin revealed how a pathway in the brain that typically provides signals to stop eating may be altered by early life trauma. Shin is a primary faculty member of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and an assistant professor of human nutrition, foods, and exercise at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Date: Dec 12, 2022 -
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Head of FDA to discuss agency’s role in research-based medical solutions at Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture , articleRobert Califf will discuss his vision for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a virtual talk, “The Role of Translational Science in Addressing the Decline in Health Status in the U.S: A Perspective from the FDA,” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
Date: Oct 25, 2022 -
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Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Graduate Program’s entering class comprises a rich mix of students , articleThe new class includes 11 women pursuing doctoral degrees and three students in the new M.D.+Ph.D. track. The program enrolled its first class in 2014.
Date: Oct 10, 2022 -
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Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health graduate student earns NIH support to explore promising heart finding , articleZach Williams has been awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health’s Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award program to pursue study of a synthetic molecule's potential as a therapeutic for heart arrythmias and sudden cardiac death.
Date: Oct 10, 2022 -
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New cancer biologist targets ‘Achilles heel’ in deadly brain cancers , articleCancer biologist Kathleen Mulvaney joins the faculty of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC on Oct. 1. Her lab will be in Washington, D.C., on the Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus as part of a partnership between Virginia Tech and Children’s National.
Date: Sep 27, 2022 -
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What is socially responsible research? STEM education, research innovator kicks off lecture series , articleChristina Ortiz, the Morris Cohen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT, will share her vision of more inclusive and socially responsible scientific and technological research in a talk titled “Socially-Directed Science and Technology: Design at the Intersection of History, Sustainability, and Equity with Applications to Biotechnology and Biomaterials.” The talk, at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, is the first in in the 2022-2023 Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series, hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.
Date: Sep 15, 2022 -
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New study may inform chemotherapy approaches for breast cancer , articleIn a first-of-its-kind finding, Virginia Tech researchers have found platinum-based chemotherapy drugs may activate a breast cancer patient’s lymphatic system and affect how tumor cells spread. But the drugs might be made more effective if the changes to the lymphatic system can be blocked or even reversed by an additional therapy.
Date: Aug 08, 2022 -
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Virginia Tech researcher’s 3D model of brain tumor environment could aid personalized treatment , articleScientists have developed a novel 3D tissue-engineered model of the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment that can be used to learn why the tumors return and what treatments will be most effective at eradicating them – right down to a patient-specific level.
Date: Aug 02, 2022 -
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Graduate student recognized for relentless curiosity and service , article“If you’re not out there understanding and engaging in conversation with the community, then how are you supposed to know how to best help them?” said Gabriela Carrillo, a doctoral candidate in Virginia Tech’s translational biology, medicine, and health graduate program.
Date: Jul 28, 2022 -
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Center for Vascular and Heart Research holds retreat to catalyze collaboration , articleThe daylong retreat at The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center and on the research institute campus included presentations by research teams about their lab’s key techniques, competencies, and equipment.
Date: Jul 21, 2022 -
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Juneteenth event to celebrate Black scientists and engineers , articleThe June 17 event will feature eight accomplished speakers and panelists, including three from Virginia Tech.
Date: Jun 14, 2022 -
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NIH grant will fund graduate student’s study of human brain activity in alcohol use disorder , articleJeremy Myslowski, a doctoral student working in the lab of Stephen LaConte at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, will use the award to study new ways to quantify severity of alcohol use disorder with neuroimaging and to test whether this disorder also impairs brain regulation.
Date: Apr 15, 2022 -
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Thursday, April 14: Nation’s leader on hearing to discuss how hearing loss impacts quality of life in public lecture , articleDebara L. Tucci, director of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at the National Institutes of Health, will talk about the hidden health problems of hearing loss at the next Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. Public reception with refreshments begins at 5 p.m.
Date: Apr 01, 2022 -
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Health Sciences and Technology campus: Thriving in the spirit of Ut Prosim , articleThe Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC are molded in the same spirit of service that has guided Virginia Tech since 1872, adapting over the years with new innovations to serve state residents and the world.
Date: Mar 30, 2022 -
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Health Sciences and Technology campus: Thriving in the spirit of Ut Prosim , articleThe Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC are molded in the same spirit of service that has guided Virginia Tech since 1872, adapting over the years with new innovations to serve state residents and the world.
Date: Mar 30, 2022 -
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute occupational therapists train colleagues, treat children in Morocco clinic , articleKelsey Burke and Megan Price, occupational therapists in the Neuromotor Research Clinic at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, took a personal volunteer trip to Morocco with a humanitarian group last year. They educated therapists and parents in pediatric therapy techniques.
Date: Mar 02, 2022 -
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Virginia Tech scientists find link between microorganisms and early brain development , articleThe study, published in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, indicates that bacteria, viruses, and fungi are critical to early brain development, and their absence has been speculated to be possibly related to disorders including autism, schizophrenia, depression, and ADHD.
Date: Feb 23, 2022 -
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientists to discuss the science of healthy lifestyle choices in public seminar , articleWarren Bickel and Alexandra DiFeliceantonio are world-leading researchers in the science of healthy decision-making. This month they’ll share insights from their work in a free virtual seminar, “New Year, New Behaviors: The Science Behind Dysfunctional Decision-Making,” on Feb. 16.
Date: Feb 10, 2022 -
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Thought leader to discuss the real digital transformation of the health care industry at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC public lecture , articleRobert Wachter, professor and chair of the department of medicine in the UC San Francisco School of Medicine, will deliver the next Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture, “The Digital Transformation of Healthcare: (Finally) a Time for Optimism,” virtually at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10.
Date: Feb 04, 2022 -
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Fralin Biomedical Research Institute Addition receives LEED certification as model for sustainable building , articleThe new Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Addition recently achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification, an internationally recognized distinction deeming the structure a model for sustainable architecture, adding it to a growing number of Virginia Tech buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Date: Jan 27, 2022 -
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Virginia Tech, Temple University scientists awarded grant to research lipedema, an under-studied disease of fat tissues , articleJennifer Munson, associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, and Evangelia Bellas, assistant professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Temple University, were recently awarded $250,000 by the Lipedema Foundation to research causes and treatments for lipedema, an often painful disease characterized by a build-up of fat tissue in the limbs.
Date: Jan 12, 2022 -
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International leader from Cambridge, UK, to discuss COVID-19 variants in virtual public lecture , articleSharon Peacock, executive director of the COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK), professor of public health and microbiology at the University of Cambridge, and an elected member of the National Academy of Medical Sciences, will talk about the importance of genetic sequencing of viruses in battling pandemics during the next Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture on Jan. 20, 2022.
Date: Jan 11, 2022 -
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Developmental pediatrics authority to give next Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture , articleRecent research by Mark Batshaw, senior investigator in the Center for Genetic Medicine Research at Children's National Hospital, identified a therapy for a urea cycle disorder that is often fatal to newborns. His in-person lecture is set for Nov. 4.
Date: Nov 01, 2021 -
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Large doses of intensive therapy better for children with cerebral palsy, Virginia Tech scientists, partners find , articleThe study, funded by the National Institutes of Health’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, shows that higher doses of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy – 20 three-hour sessions over four weeks – yield significant and lasting improvement in use of their arms and hands, especially in everyday functional activities.
Date: Oct 14, 2021 -
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Health care system leader to discuss importance of digital innovation at next Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture , articleRoberta Schwartz, executive vice president and chief innovation officer at Houston Methodist Hospital, serves as incident commander for the hospital’s COVID-19 response.
Date: Oct 08, 2021 -
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Virginia Cooperative Extension agents to be trusted messengers for COVID-19 vaccine information , articleA group of Virginia Tech researchers, along with partners at Virginia State University, are working to deliver facts about the COVID-19 vaccine to the hesitant in rural Virginia via messengers they know and trust: Virginia Cooperative Extension agents.
Date: Sep 22, 2021 -
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Ivy Foundation grant aids Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientist’s search for treatment for deadly brain cancer , articleJennifer Munson, an associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, an expert in interstitial fluid flow - the movement of liquid within and around living tissues - will use the $500,000 award to further her study of patient-specific therapies for deadly brain tumors.
Date: Sep 21, 2021 -
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Worn down: Expert to discuss health impacts of stress of being Black at Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture , articleDavid Williams, a Harvard University social scientist focused on social influences on health, will discuss the role of race and other factors in health disparities in a virtual talk titled “Social Inequities in Health: What Each One of Us Can Do,” at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16, as part of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC's Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series.
Date: Aug 30, 2021 -
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Tenth season of Fralin Biomedical Research Institute’s Pioneers in Biomedical Research Seminar Series launches Sept. 3 , articleWith topics ranging from addiction, autism, and obesity to 3D silicon brains and the world’s fastest, deepest penetrating camera, the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC's Pioneers in Biomedical Research Seminar Series features 26 leaders from the frontiers of cardiovascular science, cancer research, neuroscience, biomedical imaging, and health behaviors.
Date: Aug 26, 2021 -
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Leader in eliminating disparities in cancer survival to deliver season’s first Maury Strauss lecture , articleOtis Brawley, Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University, will discuss disparities in how cancer is prevented, diagnosed, and treated. The talk, at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9, is the first in the 2021-22 season of the Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series.
Date: Aug 25, 2021 -
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TBMH graduate student awarded NIH grant to study diagnosis and treatment of genetic heart disease , articleGrace Blair, who works in the lab of Steve Poelzing at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, was awarded a two-year grant under the National Institutes of Health's Ruth L. Kirschstein Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award.
Date: Aug 12, 2021 -
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New Fralin Biomedical Research Institute faculty member to advance addiction, pain research with focused ultrasound , articleWynn Legon, a neuroscientist and pioneer in the use of focused ultrasound, will continue advancing this technology when he joins the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC as an assistant professor on Sept. 1.
Date: Aug 09, 2021 -
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New scientists bring American Heart Association-funded research to the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , articleJessica Pfleger and Yassine Sassi, who joined Virginia Tech this summer, brought with them American Heart Associated-funded research projects. Pfleger studies insulin resistance in the heart, and Sassi studies pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Date: Aug 04, 2021 -
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Virginia Tech graduate student receives three awards for research and community outreach , articleRachana Deven Somaiya recently received the Outstanding Scholars in Neuroscience Award from the National Institutes of Health, the Virginia Tech Aspire! Award for student learning, and the 2021-22 Gaskins Graduate Scholarship.
Date: Jul 27, 2021 -
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Summer interns gain hands-on learning in Virginia Tech’s COVID-19 testing lab , articleDuring two five-week, hands-on sessions, the interns worked in the Molecular Diagnostics Lab at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and took classes led by Carla Finkielstein, the lab’s scientific director and an associate professor at the research institute.
Date: Jul 23, 2021 -
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Virginia Tech’s COVID-19 testing operation demonstrates the power and versatility of academic labs , articleIn the early days of the pandemic, scientists at Virginia Tech created a COVID-19 testing laboratory and novel test for the virus from scratch. This novel protocol for transforming a research laboratory into a COVID-19 testing operation was described in a new article published July 20 in Nature Communications.
Date: Jul 20, 2021 -
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New Fralin Biomedical Research Institute investigator seeks molecular causes for deadly lung, heart diseases , articleYassine Sassi will join the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC on Aug. 1 as an assistant professor, where he will continue his research into pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary fibrosis.
Date: Jun 29, 2021 -
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New Fralin Biomedical Research Institute scientist seeks to reduce heart failure , articleJunco Warren will focus on metabolic changes in the failing heart, particularly the pivotal moment when a heart moves from being impaired but functioning to struggling to do its job.
Date: Jun 28, 2021 -
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Virginia Tech scientist awarded NIH grant to study CASK-related severe brain disorder , articleSarika Srivastava, a research assistant professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, is undertaking a five-year study to investigate the mechanisms of CASK loss-of-function mutation associated epileptic encephalopathy, funded by a $2 million grant.
Date: Jun 22, 2021
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